Charges dismissed against inmates accused in 2015 Oklahoma riot

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) – Court records show charges have been dropped against seven Oklahoma inmates involved in a fatal 2015 prison riot.

Payne County District Attorney Laura Thomas filed a motion last week to dismiss the charges against Gage Broom, Phillip Jordan, Korey Kruta, James Placker, Jordan Scott, Steven Thompson and Johnathan Whittington. The inmates were charged last year with participating in the riot at the Cimarron Correctional Facility.

Four inmates died during the fight, including Anthony Fulwider, Michael Mayden Jr., Kyle Tiffee and Christopher Tignor.

The Tulsa World reports that Judge Philip C. Corley granted Thomas’ request for dismissal because the inmates couldn’t clearly be identified as participants in the melee.

Thomas says some of the defendants had preliminary hearings where “the ability of the witnesses to provide identities became questionable at best.”